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Less than half a mile separates Europe from Asia at the narrowest point of Turkey’s Bosphorus strait. The Golden Horn is the name of an approximately 4-mile-long inlet whose harbor has sheltered boats for thousands of years, through four powerful empires. Its picturesque views have inspired painters, poets, and photographersLeonardo da Vinci even designed a bridge for it in 1502.

These elegant and natural earrings are inspired by the colors of the sunset over the Golden Horn, and the style is adapted from Roman-era designs. Faceted ruby quartz and labradorite are framed in 22-k gold, with a tiny crystal to catch the light.

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Each of these one-of-a-kind earrings is made from a slice of solar quartz, a milky white agate-quartz cut from a stalactiterock formations that build up over centuries as water drips from the roof of a cave. The stone is plated with hammered, 18k-gold-plated copper. Handcrafted in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Since the first half of the 20th century, the mythical, celestial snow lion has been the national protector of Tibet, blazing with fearlessness and representing dominance over the Himalayan mountains. Before Tibet was incorporated into the People's Republic of China, the snow lion was found on the country's coins, stamps, and the national flag, and it is still a symbol of the Tibetan independence movement.

The Imperial Treasury in Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace is still home to the most lavish riches of the Ottoman era. Here you’ll find the legendary, jewel-encrusted Topkapi Dagger, golden thrones, an 86-karat diamond, and many more remarkably ornate treasures. These gold, turquoise, and ruby accents are adaptations of jewels worn by women of the seraglio, where the wives of the Ottoman officials lived.

At the foot of Mount Vesuvius, just 10 miles south of Naples, lies the fishing town of Torre del Greco. Long known for their carved shell cameos, Torre del Greco jewelers also work with gold and gems, using time-honored techniques such as lost-wax casting. In lost-wax casting, a jeweler carves his or her design in wax, and then forms a mold around the model. When molten metal is poured into the mold, the wax melts away, leaving a perfect reproduction of the original model.

Renaissance meets Art Nouveau in these pearl and gemstone earrings. Art Nouveau flourished in Europe during the turn of the 20th century. Its streamlined, geometric shapes influenced everything from advertising to architecture, furniture to fashion. In Rome, an architect named Gino Coppede designed an entire neighborhood in the Art Nouveau style, right down to the street lamps. The "Quartiere Coppede" still looks much as it did when the architect died in 1927.

Charleston, South Carolina, is a veritable outdoor ironwork museum, with its pedestrian-friendly streets and a tradition of cast-iron and wrought-iron gates, fences, and balconies that date back to the early 18th century. British styles were the earliest to take hold in the city, but a local style soon evolved and gained national attention, with elements that were influenced by German ironworkers and the neoclassical design that was popular in architecture of the 19th century.

Arabesque designsrepeating geometric patterns of flowers and animalsare often found in Middle Eastern art and architecture. In Islamic art, these never-ending patterns symbolize a spirituality that extends beyond the visible world. These 24-karat gold-vermeil earrings pair intricate arabesque design with a timeless style. Handmade in Cairo.

Silversmithing has a long and respected history on the Indonesian island of Bali, where the word pandai means both "smith" and "clever." Indonesia's early royal families were generous patrons of the arts, and many contemporary silversmiths have inherited hundreds of years of their ancestors' skills. A small group of Balinese artisans collaborate on the tiny granulated designs on these medallion earrings. Each is handcrafted from sterling silver and paired with a smooth onxy cabochon.

These whimsical earrings celebrate that classic harbinger of spring, the robin, as well as the common belief that having a bird's nest in your home brings good luck. In German tradition, finding a bird's nest in one's Christmas tree meant luck and harmony for the coming year.

These elegant earrings feature 90-year-old jade buttons from the time of the rule of Puyi, China's ''last emperor.'' Bezel-set in 22-karat gold vermeil, they feature dangling tiers of cultured freshwater pearls. Wear an evocative piece of history that symbolizes the end of an era from nearly one century ago. As these are handmade by artisans using vintage buttons, each will vary.

Venetian explorer and trader Marco Polo was one of the first Westerners to travel the Silk Road, bringing European goods to Asia and returning with, among other things, precious gems. Here, the journey is embodied in garnet, peridot, amethyst, and granulated 24-k gold vermeil. Renaissance designer Benvenuto Cellini's work for the Medici family is adapted by Chinese jewelers using faceted gems mined in Indiatrue fusion of three cultures. Read more about Marco Polo's journey in Mike Edwards' 2001 series of articles for National Geographic magazine.

Jade has an ancient history not just in Asia, but also in Mesoamerica, where it was used by cultures from the Olmec to the Maya to the Aztec. It symbolized life and death and was used to make figurines, jewelry, and even inlays for teeth.